Aegre November 2019

Aegre 155 November 2019

From the East Midlands Region of the

Aegre is published Š 2019 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches.

Chairman

David Pullen, 16 Church Street, Scothern, Lincoln LN2 2UA. Tel: 01673 862278

Vice-Chairman

Dave Carnell, Conifer Cottage, North End, Goxhill DN19 7JX Tel: 01469 530138

Leicestershire Branch Chairman

Andrew Shephard, 41 Roman Road, Birstall, Leicester, LE4 4BB. E: andrew.shephard@waterways.org.uk

Lincolnshire Branch Chairman

Dave Carnell (as above)

Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Branch Chairman

Graham Jeffery, E: graham.jeffery@hotmail.co.uk

Member & WRG

John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0HJ Tel: 01623 621208

Secretary and Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth LN11 0GQ E-mail: aegre@waterways.org.uk Printing: Colour Image Loudwater. Despatch: Branch Volunteers Front cover, Diwali at Leicester Limekiln, photo from Ashish Joshi at Unsplash. Other photos, see page 20. .

Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Registered as a Charity No: 212342.

Tel: 01494 783453. Website:

http://www.waterways.org.uk The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the East Midlands Region. They are published as being of interest to our members and other readers.

The inclusion of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the IWA East Midlands Region or any of its Branches. Dates and times of events should be checked before travelling.

Aegre 155 November 2019 Page 2

Limekiln Lock at Diwali - photo VisitLeicester

Aegre

No. 155 November 2019

Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam From the Region Chair B2P Wetland Corridor Update Journals Received Lincolnshire Happenings.

Around the Societies and Trusts Picture Credits Virgin Media volunteers on an away-day with Python News from Grantham News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire News from Leicestershire Next issue probably to be published in February 2020. Contributions to the editor (see page 2) by mid-January please. Files in RTF and JPG preferred if possible.

The space on the right is for local Branch contact information.

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4 5 6 8 9 10 16 20 21 23 25 26

Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region Ancholme Rivers Trust

Gail Copson, 21 Maple Close, Brigg, North Lincs.

DN20 9JE. Tel: 07769 950589.

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society

Chris Madge, c/o 62 Broadway, Duffield, Derby DE56 4BU Tel: 07827 946444 www.derbycanal.org.uk

Erewash Canal P & D Association

Norman Cornwell, 38 Millfield Road, Kimberley, Notts.

NG16 2LJ Tel: 0115 8544155 Mobile 07854 451183 www.erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk

Foxton Inclined Plane Trust

Friends of Charnwood Forest Canal

Foxton Canal Museum, Middle Lock, Gumley Road, Market Harborough LE16 7RA Tel: 0116 2792657 www.fipt.org.uk

Mike Handford, 1 Sheepy Close, Hinckley, LE10 1JL Tel: 01455 611508 mahandford@gmail.com

Friends of the Cromford Canal

Judy Berry, 5 Hambling Close, Nottingham NG6 7DX Tel: 0115 854 9852. www.cromfordcanal.org

Grantham Canal Society

Mike Stone, 7, Crow Park Drive, Burton Joyce, Nottingham NG14 5AS; Tel: 0115 931 3375 www.granthamcanal.com

Louth Navigation Trust

Paula Hunt, Navigation Warehouse, Riverhead, Louth LN11 0DA Tel: 01507 605496 www.louthcanal.org.uk

Melton & Oakham Waterways Society

Michael Clowes, tel: 01509 414140, e-mail: lindandmick@btinternet.com www.meltonwaterways.co.uk

Old Union Canals Society

Jean Bourne, 2 Nithsdale Crescent, Market Harborough, LE16 9HA tel: 01858 461483

Sleaford Navigation Trust

Steve Hayes, 10 Chelmer Close, N. Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8TH Tel: 01522 689460 www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk

Trent and Mersey Canal Society

Margaret English, 10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0BL. Tel: 01606 834471 www.tamcs.org.uk

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The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam Amidst the current gloom and acrimony affecting much of the country, I am really encouraged by the amount of useful and positive work being done around the canals and rivers of our Region.

In spite of shortages of money, we see voluntary work getting things done, and even the paper-work areas, so often seen as a hindrance, are moving. Not always as fast as we would wish, of course, but I’d better not speculate on why that seems to be the case so often.

The details are summarised in the following pages, so just a few items for special mention.

Ian McDonald, formerly Chair of our Leicestershire Branch, received a very well-earned Richard Bird medal for his contribution at the IWA AGM in September. Mike Snaith, formerly Chair of our Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch, was awarded the John Heap salver for his similar contribution in that area. See the notes on this in the Branch reports.

Although there is not yet much to show, the painstaking work

being done by the two Chairs on the B2P project (see page 8) is really a basis for potentially valuable developments in the future. And our colleagues at Chesterfield and Derby are moving well on their ambitious projects.

On a more domestic front, I hope this edition of “Aegre” looks OK to you. We have had to change the publishing program (programme? I tend to use the American spelling for software and the English one for theatre and concerts), and although it is more powerful, and with lots more “bells and whistles”, there is a certain amount of learning involved before those bells and whistles sound completely consonant together.

We are also considering altering the publishing schedule slightly, to fit in better with the usual cycle of events and activities in our Region for example with an issue in February, to provide input in time for the Branch meetings in March. You will be kept up-todate, but please let me know your thoughts on this.

Best wishes, Peter

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From the Region Chair During our summer holiday cruise on Rhoda Ellen I was given a quick lesson in water divining! It turns out I can do this, although exactly why it should be useful to me right now, given the amount of water there is everywhere, is beyond me.

As I write this, just past the middle of October, we should have been returning from the CRT “Light up a Lock” Diwali event at Limekiln Lock in Leicester, which is of course on the notoriously flood-prone River Soar. The Soar has pretty much been closed at various times for over 50% of the time since we returned to our home mooring in late August, and unfortunately it just wasn’t safe to cruise up to Leicester. I hope nevertheless that CRT had a successful evening for the Diwali event and helped to encourage Leicester residents in the Belgrave area to “Love Your Waterway”! The river was also closed several times from June onwards. This is a good reminder of why we elect to have a river licence and upgrade as necessary for canal

cruising. This is also the same river that was severely restricted from February to June as the main Grand Union reservoirs south of Leicester were virtually empty.

Re-greening the new winding hole at South Kyme on the Sleaford Navigation has also been a tricky task due to the fluctuating river levels since mid-June.

Predicting when where and how much rain is going to fall is becoming much more a case of guesswork with the changing weather patterns due to climate change. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there now followed an unusually “dry” winter, although at present those extremely “expert” long range weather forecasters seem to be “herding” around an autumn Arctic spell, much the same as 2010 which saw -10 to -15oC in November.

So back to water divining! I have concluded that this would be a much more useful “Divine” gift if it could be directed towards the climate, and forecasting rainfall. I was

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always rather sceptical about the mysterious powers of a couple of bent wires to find water, despite one of my brothers apparently being able to locate “lost” water mains back in our hands-on farming days. So I just couldn’t resist a friendly but more than slightly disbelieving enquiry to a CRT engineer who was apparently utilising this gift on the canal bank in Etruria on the Caldon Canal in mid-August. The said engineer, with divining skills, had been sent specially to the embankment to locate a leak which was worrying the businesses on an industrial estate below the embankment.

No one is entirely sure how water divining works but because of my interest, and the fact that my brother could do it, he invited me to have a go.

Aforesaid “bent wires” certainly did swing and cross over in exactly the same place each time. Very spooky! The CRT engineer duly marked the spot for the repair to the evidently time-expired rusty piling between the canal and the towpath.

In due course we discussed the reservoir failure at Whaley Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal, because I suspected that the fairly rapid CRT response to the leaking embankment in Etruria was a reaction to the reservoir situation which had occurred only about 10 days before. Ironically, it seems that although the reservoir was “inspected” twice a week, in line with most other CRT structures, the reservoir water supply is surplus to the navigation and environmental needs for the Peak Forest Canal! Perhaps because there was no continuous feed, that is why it was allowed to remain close to capacity with insufficient freeboard when an unusually severe rainfall event occurred?

Reflecting on these changing climate issues shows conclusively that extreme rainfall alternating with extreme drought has widely different effects on different sides of our “Green and Pleasant Land”!

David Pullen

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B2P Wetland Corridor Update IWA Lincolnshire and Peterborough branches continue to lead the Boston to Peterborough (B2P) Wetland Corridor Partnership together with Environment Agency Navigations and Lincolnshire County Council.

Proposals for an integrated Multi-Sector water resource solution for resilient water supply, flood defence, irrigation, wildlife and ecology continue to evolve. IWA and the B2P initiative are illustrative of the integrated approach with access to the new water transfer channels to benefit the widest possible sectors of society. The South Lincolnshire Water Partnership with Water Resources East (WRE) is the multi-resource planning model which will develop and refine this holistic water resource objective and outcome. The B2P Wetland Corridor concept is a particularly appropriate example of this integrated approach.

The integrated approach is resonating with both OFWAT

and DEFRA as an exemplar of the need to deliver the widest range of benefits for the Anglian Region. OFWAT has recently approved creation of a project budget of up to ÂŁ47m to pay for the planning and business design for this huge new water resource.

The preferred solution to meet all these benefits will involve creation of new water storage reservoirs, wetland corridors, and interconnecting water transfer channels in the South Lincolnshire area. Total water storage capacity required is 60 million cubic metres and is similar in size to Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire.

The original Fen Waterways Link (FWL) project was previously costed and justified as part of a much more ambitious scheme to provide a non-tidal wide beam navigation link right across the fens from Lincoln to Cambridge via Peterborough.

The revised and scaled down B2P proposal is therefore being re-costed and evaluated to integrate with the WRE

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project, and to confirm the economic, social, health and well-being and recreational benefits from this waterway connection. The previous FWL business case is being updated in line with these wider benefits but will include short tidal sections in Boston, and at Denver Sluice. The updated business case will be commissioned and delivered by April 2020.

A further exciting opportunity is emerging in Boston as the town has been selected to bid for up to £25M funding (The Towns Fund), from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Boston Borough Council is investigating the benefits of waterway development in Boston which are complementary to the B2P Wetland Corridor as part of this new funding opportunity.

David Pullen

Journals Received We are very pleased to acknowledge copies of journals from various canal and river societies and trusts. They include “The Portal” from Friends of the Cromford Canal; “The Packet” from the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society; “The Cuckoo”, from the Chesterfield Canal Trust; “Sleaford Navigation Trust” journal; the “Melton and Oakham Newsletter”; “The Wharfinger” from Louth Navigation Trust; “The Bridge” from Grantham Canal Society; “Grand Trunk” from the Trent and Mersey Canal Society, and the “Easterling” from our Eastern neighbours the EAWA. Anyone interested in receiving a copy of one of these journals should contact the relevant address given on page 4. For “The Cuckoo” contact the editor at 22 Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield S43 2PF. Aegre 155 November 2019 Page 9

Lincolnshire Happenings.

Saxilby Village moorings.

The village moorings have long been a favourite place to moor, with the local amenities nearby.

As part of the Bridge Street regeneration a new logo has been produced promoting the Saxilby Waterfront: Encouraged by the support and over ÂŁ1,100 being raised towards the regeneration, further events are planned.

Louth Navigation Trust

The aims are to work closely with the Parish Council and CRT in further promoting the area and the facilities it offers.

On a wish list is the refurbishment of the toilet and shower block and maintenance of the roadside canal bank. This year`s Waterfront Festival attracted over 1,000 people of all ages on a sunny afternoon to listen to the main theme, of music provided by local talent and the Lincoln Rock Choir.

Other activities were taster fishing sessions and model boat displays.

Keddington Lock. After many months of attempting to obtain help to repair this damaged lock, during which time it has deteriorated badly, the Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board (LMDB) have submitted remedial work designs which have been approved by the EA. The works will be carried out by the Board’s Direct Labour Organisation, commencing in January.

Work will recover eroded material from the bed of the canal and rebuild the eroded area with the recovered material, reinforced with a geogrid. The top of the

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northern bank will be lowered slightly to improve land drainage and reduce the amount of material required to re-instate it. Upstream of the lock, a rock weir will raise water levels, restoring the water feed to the Old River Lud and Alvingham Water Mill. The Drainage Board have paid the EA £958 for a permit in the Canal Trust’s name.

The estimated costs of these works are up to £25,000.

Contributions have so far been received from the East Lindsey District Council; the owner of Alvingham Mill; and Louth Navigation Trust.

The IWA Branch Committee discussed a contribution at their meeting on September 30th and agreed to donate a thousand pounds. A presentation was made on October 16th at a LNT Committee meeting with a representative of the Drainage Board, Mr Neil Kemble,

present. He emphasised that the governing Board of the LMDB had voted unanimously to support the work, as it was clearly in the interests of water supply in the summer and flood control in the winter.

Our picture of the presentation shows (L to R) Chair Roger Subden of LNT, Neil Kemble of LMDB and Dave Carnell of Lincolnshire Branch IWA. On the proposed Multi-user Path along the canal from Louth to the proposed National Coastal Path at Tetney, East Lindsey D.C. plan to take the project to the “pre-delivery ready” stage.

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On the proposed BCU Canoe Trail, it seems that land ownership for the proposed launching points at Austen Fen, Fire Beacon and Tetney rests with the EA. The relevant department is to be approached for consent to install these, prior to submitting a funding bid.

General volunteer work The trees on the footpath from Navigation Warehouse to the Town Lock tilting gate weir have been trimmed and the verges mown. Trust volunteers are also working on Ticklepenny Lock. Having removed vegetation from some of the walls they are now using lime mortar re-pointing them (see picture below). Also on this site an information post with coloured details of the route and history of the navigation will be erected. (See sample on back cover).

As part of World Rivers Day, a River Care group has been established in Louth. The initial meeting was on September 28th. Further dates are being arranged, details from 01507 605496.

Sleaford Navigation Trust are pleased to report that boats visiting the navigation and using the new visitor moorings and winding hole in South Kyme have more than tripled in the 2019 boating season. At the winding hole, coir roll and matting had been installed as bank protection, and grass seed sown on the banks. The removal of the surplus soil will be delayed due to the farmer having seeded the field.

Haverholme Lock and weir designs had been passed to IWA Engineer John Heather at a site visit. Initial discussions, indicating that a Fish Pass might be required, had resulted in a further site visit with Darren Randall and Chris Walker of the EA. They concluded that an eel pass in the by-wash would be sufficient.

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South Kesteven and North Kesteven Rivers Project.

Meetings with the EA and NKDC had confirmed that work in the top pound would see coir roll bank protection replacing the Nicospan with soil infill behind it. A volunteer work party from HSBC was to take place on November 3rd.

Late May Bank Holiday..

Following the re-scheduling of the early May Bank holiday next year, the Boat Gathering will take place on the Late May Bank Holiday, 23rd to 25th May. Boston Tidal Barrier.

Navigation notices received from the Port of Boston indicate that two service bridges will be installed over the navigation by-pass channel from the Dock to the structure.

No air draft restrictions were available at the time of going to press.

Boston Borough Council have been asked to comment on a state of the art alternative energy plant. The proposal is to construct a 102 MGA renewable energy plant, fueled by a million tonnes a year of residential waste. The site is in the tidal Haven and is of

interest to navigators because of the 624 ships a year that could transport material to and from the plant. If consents are received construction could start in 2021.

River Ancholme.

South Ferriby Tide Lock finally became useable in July making it possible for boats to enter the River Humber. However notification has been given that further works are required during the coming winter shutdown.

The on-going issues of bank erosion at the Brigg Boat Club led to a site meeting with EA`s Waterway and Estates Managers. The Club made it clear they will continue to withhold their lease payments until something is resolved. The payments are in an escrow account and are being used by the Club to carry out some of the necessary works. To date there has been no response from the EA on these issues.

Visitor Moorings on the River Trent.

Extra visitor moorings on the Cranfleet Cut opposite the Trent Valley Sailing Club are

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being proposed. With approval from CRT and using local volunteers, including the WRG and IWA, the plans below are being considered.

To help the project to move forward please contact robert.aspey@derby.gov.uk.

Dave Carnell

Revisions

Rev Date Details

Cranflee

15000

6000

80000

Railway Brid

Dimensions in mm

ge

20-09-2019

1:1000

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2 additional mooring rings required PRIORITY 4

01

About 14 additional mooring rings at 6000 mm (6 m) centres required PRIORITY 5

Site

Cranfleet Cut

Project Title

Site Plan

Replacement Mooring Rings

Drawing Title

LAYOUT 2007

2 day CRT Visitor Moorings

sitor Moorings 2 day CRT Vi

6000

Editor’s note: The drawing is put sideways so that it is easier to read (I hope)

4800

Gravel Towpath Grass Verge

Indicates Existing Mooring Ring.

The shafts appear to have been drilled into the coping stones. The mooring rings are 180 mm dia, 15 mm thick steel.

The coping stones are about 300 mm deep, 750 mm wide, and up to 800 mm long along the towpath.

The overall width of the towpath incl. grass verges and copings is about 4800 mm.

The river at normal levels is about 1000 mm below the towpath.

rin g 20 00 0

tM oo rP oin 20000 12000 6000 12000 6000 20000

Wa te 2 day CRT Visitor Moorings

s

Trent River et Cut

Coping Stones Grass margin Hedge

Erewash Canal

North

4 additional mooring rings required at 6400 mm (6.4 m) centres PRIORITY 1

Missing coping stone gap to be filled with concrete

1 additional moorings ring required PRIORITY 2

2 additional mooring rings required PRIORITY 3

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Around the Societies and Trusts Old Union Canals Society The Society has had a mixed year, with a successful boat gathering at Welford in May, but a number of sad losses.

Sad losses included Tony Matts, Peter Ellis, Tony White and Giles Baker, so that all three of the Market Harborough boat builders are now gone.

It may have been coincidence, but they noted that just prior to the Welford event there was an unusual amount of work being done by CRT on signage, towpath potholes and so on in the area. There is a repeat event planned for May 16-17 2020.

Coming events at Great Bowden village hall include “Harborough Movie Makers” on Friday 29 November, and their AGM on 31 January.

Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust and Society

They report real progress with Borrowash Bottom Lock. A WRG camp with 18 volunteers (and a cook, very important) worked for a week, together with volunteers from the Society, on the lock walls and the canal walls above and below the lock. A WRG excavator was important in shifting spoil to the right place, and a new skill for the Society volunteers was to make new “stone” coping stones for the top of the wing walls to replace those lost.

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Negotiations are in progress to purchase a stretch of land from the M1 towards Risley Lane in Breaston, and it may be possible to continue this to Draycott.

Difficult areas include the Draycott Canal, where the local wildlife trust call for a new planting schedule for grasses; a heritage report required for the cottages at Draycott; and a requirement to have a registered archaeologist to supervise the excavation at Spondon. A recent surprise was the appearance of water in the canal at Draycott. Not the desired re-instatement, but just the result of heavy rains over several weeks.

Planning permission for the Trip Boat terminal near Exeter Bridge has now been granted, so the launch date is now planned for Spring 2020.

The theft of a van, and its subsequent setting alight under Cockayne’s Bridge on Trust’s land led to the bridge becoming unsafe for vehicles, and thus a serious obstacle for local traffic. The Council wanted to infill the bridge. After much negotiation it has been agreed that there will be a temporary infill, while the Trust will be able to give the Council three years notice to remove the infill, and DCC Highways will rebuild the bridge to suit the canal and the road and footpath.

The excavation work on the Sandiacre Canal has allowed the purchase of a small tractor, which will speed up mowing and other maintenance. There is still a sewer problem here to solve with Severn Trent Water.

Coming events include a talk by Pete Wearn on “Toton Sidings Remembered” on 26 November at 7.30pm at the Coach & Horses, Victoria Rd, Draycott, DE72 3PS. Working parties continue on Wednesdays and Fridays (and some Sundays) at Borrowash and Draycott respectively, usually at 9.30am.

Friends of the Cromford Canal The Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Discovery Days at Cromford with FCC participation were on November 2 and 3. Just an awkward time for a report here, but we hope they went well.

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A major step forward was the completion of stonework at Humpy Bridge at Jacksdale. A party was held at the end of August with Robert Shacklock the stonemason, and many local people who had supported the work. Interpretation boards have also been installed.

Much work has been done by volunteers in transporting coir rolls and clay to repair the banks between Cromford Wharf and High Peak Junction, and also clearing overgrown vegetation at various places along the canal.

Planning consent has been given for work on the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust owned Aqueduct Cottege to be restored as a visitor information centre and a “Gateway” to Lea Wood. On the plan to extend the canal at Beggarlee, calls for more information have covered ecology, the structure of the crossing of the A610, traffic management during the work, and the effect on the river water quality. This work is still pending.

Coming events include Hugh Potter showing more photographs from the archives on November 18 at 7.30pm at the usual venue of Ironville Church Hall, NG16 5NN. Admission is £2.50 and there is a bar, tea, coffee and a raffle. This year Santa Cruises will operate on Birdswood from Cromford Wharf on 7 and 8,14 and 15, and 21 and 22 December. Advance booking is essential, call 07752 055455.

Chesterfield Canal Trust With a significantly changed “big picture”, the Trust is really hopeful that their 2027 target for completion is now achievable. As always, the main worry is money, because the various major tasks will need a lot! So there is a new appeal for help, and we include a copy of a flyer for it. The Trust now has a pair of experts on hand to drive the main efforts forward - a Development Manager and a Chair of the Restoration Sub-committee. Some more technical (administrative) changes have also been put in place to make clear various areas of responsibility.

On immediate practical work, the site at Lowgates has seen the towpath side wall complete and they hope to get the off-side wall done soon. The new compound at the bottom of Bellhouse Lane now has planning permission, and much improved facilities (including a canteen and better toilet facilities). Volunteer work parties assemble here, usually on Thursdays and Sundays. Call Terry Berridge for information, 01246 273055.

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A new canal-oriented mural was unveiled at Retford in August, as well as six new information panels along the Retford stretch of the canal.

The Santa Special cruises will continue this season, with a present for each child and a mince pie and a drink for each adult, £7 per person. There are four possibilities: with John Varley from Tapton Lock in Chesterfield, call 01629 533020; with Seth Ellis from the “Hop Pole” in Retford, call 07925 851569; with Hugh Henshall from the “Lock Keeper” in Worksop or from Shireoaks, call 0114 360 0460; with Madeline from Hollingwood Hub, call 01629 533020.

Erewash CPDA For the award for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, mentioned in our July issue, Norman Cornwell reports that they had a very pleasant afternoon presentation, by HM LordLieutenant of Derbyshire, of the QAVS crystal and certificate on Tuesday 27th August. It was attended by some 60 members, and various dignitaries, including two local MPs Maggie Throup and Nigel Mills, Richard Parry from CRT and the Civic Chairman of Derbyshire CC. Jim Stevenson receiving a (very heavy) crystal presentation piece from HM Lord-Lieutenant, Mr. William Tucker.

After last year’s successful Christmas opening they are planning to open Sandiacre Lock Cottages again. The festive opening will include decorations from the garden, live music each Sunday from various artists, tombola, warm mince pies and of course open fires.

The opening dates/times are: Sundays December 1st 8th & 15th 11am – 3pm.

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The Association has recently acquired a chipping machine to help in processing the material arising from vegetation clearances along the canal. East Midlands Airport helped with the cost.

Trent and Mersey Canal Society Their regular meetimgs take place at the Red Bull Public House , Congleton Road South, Stoke-on-Trent ST7 3AJ from 7:30.

Next up will be Friday 15th November “Down the Tidal Severn by Narrowboat” from Patrick Marks, describing Sharpness to Portishead with a pilot, followed by ‘bonus footage’ from Portishead to Bristol under a famous bridge.

Friday 17th January 2020 “Down South” from Phil Clayton on London, River Thames, Lee and Stort and River Wey. Friday 21st February 2020 “Women and Children living and working on canal boats” from Bill Walker. Bill will take us through the significant changes experienced by women and children when they had to leave their cottages and live on the boats instead.

Friday 21st March 2020 CRT speaker.

Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this edition of Aegre: Dave Carnell; Rod Auton; David Pullen; David Savidge; Robert Aspey; “visitLeicester”; and as noted for specific stories.

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Virgin Media volunteers on an away-day with Python In September, a group of seven keen volunteers from the Virgin Media Business Project Delivery team came to do some vegetation clearance along the Chesterfield Canal.

They had heard about the work that the Chesterfield Canal Trust does to keep the canal from becoming overgrown and wanted to do their bit to help.

For the past two years, the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s ex-British Waterways workboat Python has supported volunteers cutting back vegetation on the towpath and overhanging the waterway itself.

This was the first day of this autumn’s programme and the volunteers made a superb start.

They went to Kiveton Park where they were equipped with hard hats, gloves and hi-vis jackets and given a safety briefing. They were supplied with a variety of cutting and lopping tools and set off up to the portal of the Norwood Tunnel.

Here some cleared the landing stage, whilst others worked their way along the towpath removing overgrown brambles and trimming back overhanging branches.

Despite rather mixed weather, they did a sterling job and certainly had a good time. Perhaps the plentiful supplies of hot drinks and cake helped!

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Volunteer Team Lead Carole Payton said: “A fabulous opportunity to use our allocated Volunteer Day supporting the Chesterfield Canal Trust team. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the historic narrow boat Python to cut back vegetation along the canal banks and towpath.”

Jan Warsop from the Chesterfield Canal Trust said: "It was wonderful to welcome such a highly motivated and enthusiastic team to join us maintaining the canal."

The work of Python has recently been recognised at two awards ceremonies.

In September, the Python Litter Pickers won a Community Award from Retford in Bloom 2019. The citation read: “In recognition of their clearance of litter and debris from the water and banks of the Chesterfield Canal.”

In October, Python was Commended in the Canal & River Trust’s Living Waterways Awards in the Engaging Communities section. This was well deserved recognition in these national awards, in particular for Jan Warsop, who has recently retired from looking after this work. (Left, Jan and Dave Warsop receiving the award, photo from Chris Bennett).

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News from Grantham Following the official opening of the completed works of Lock 15, attention has moved to Lock 14 where the rebuilding of the chamber is almost complete. There remains much ancillary work to do. Until these works are fully completed no further Heritage funding applications can be made. To help keep the working team occupied, rebuilding of Muston Bridge is being considered and donations to this project are being sought.

The annual Discovery Day was held on October 13, and was a great success. The IWA Branch Committee had discussed a contribution to this cause and agreed to donate a thousand pounds. The presentation was made at the Discovery Day, and the picture shows Lincolnshire Branch Chair Dave Carnell presenting the cheque to GCRS CEO David Lyneham-Brown. Other GCS members from their Community & Events Team are Rosemary Gibson, Tony Jackson (Ayup me Duck) and Jacob Brooks (photo by Heather Nettleton).

The donation will be put towards preparations for restoring Lock 13.

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The Warwickshire IWA Branch are planning an “away-day” walk for their members to Grantham’s restoration projects and would welcome any East Midlands Region members wishing to join.

It will be on Sunday January 5th with a Walk’n’Talk hosted by Grantham Canal Society. Meet in the car park of the Dirty Duck, Duck Lane, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, NG32 1NY at 10.30am. Park on the left hand side immediately inside the car park gates. Order lunch for 1pm. The circular walk will take in the restored lock 15 and the nearly complete Lock 14, then back by a circular route including a restored section of canal, for lunch. Depart when you wish. For any queries, please call Ian Lauder, Chairman, IWA Warwickshire Branch 01788 567600.

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News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire The past Chairman of our Branch, Mike Snaith, was awarded the John Heap Salver at the IWA AGM last September. Our picture shows the award ceremony with Ivor Caplan presenting the trophy.

The 16 October meeting was very well supported at the new venue and “The Clock Warehouse” manager is keen to host some further waterway specific events in partnership with IWA. David Pullen showed a video called “The Story of British Canals” which is very professional, narrated by actor Brian Glover. The 58 minute film covers the development of Britain’s canals as industrial arteries right through to IWA and WRG involvement in first saving the canals and latterly leading the restoration of lost routes. Huge thanks to Trevor Stevens of Leicestershire Branch who supplied the video file. There are several similar videos that can be supplied for branch social meetings. Please contact either Trevor or David.

The next IWA Notts & Derbys Branch meeting will be again at The Clock Warehouse, Shardlow DE72 2GL on 20 November 2019 at 7.30pm. The topic will be “Restoring Canals -The Caldon and Uttoxeter Canals” and the speaker will be Steve Wood.

The 3rd Wednesday in the month has now been earmarked for future meetings at “The Clock”. This is based on the views of members who responded to a questionnaire sent out in the Spring.

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News from Leicestershire The first meeting of our new Autumn season was on Thursday 10 October at our new venue, the Co-op Sports & Social Club in Birstall. It was a resounding success. Very comfortable and a great atmosphere.

The meeting started with a report back on the various issues that we have been involved with over the Spring and Summer months, particularly including the progress achieved with the Memory Lane Wharf development, which is now programmed for completion in the current financial year - i.e. by the end of March 2020! We are now working closely with CRT and the City Council on this project, and after years of campaigning it is good to see it actually happening.

Also worth a quick mention is the installation of the new visitor mooring rings above Belgrave Wharf, and the reopening of the footpath from the lock through the new housing development to provide an access route to the National Space Centre and the Victorian Pumping Station.

We were joined by Alan Leather, the new CRT East Midlands Region Enterprise Manager, and Linny Beaumont, East Midlands

Partnerships and External Relationships Manager, and also new to CRT. They both introduced themselves and told us a bit about their aims and objectives with the Trust.

We concluded the meeting by showing the slide presentation “Boating in and Around Leicester,” which was put together for the February meeting of the River Soar & Grand Union Canal Partnership.

Our second social meeting for the Autumn season is on Thursday 14th November, at our new venue. Our guest speaker will be Michael Golds from the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association.

Finally, our congratulations to our past Chairman, Ian McDonald who, at the AGM in Stoke, was awarded the IWA Richard Bird Medal. This is awarded for members ‘who have brought significant benefits to the Association over a sustained period’. Well done Ian. I think Carol must take some of the credit for all the support I know she has given over the years.

Our support of the CRT Diwali event at Limekiln Lock was thwarted by the weather, which rendered the River Soar

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Navigation un-navigable. We were not able to supply any boats, illuminated or otherwise. Maybe next year (but some pictures from previous years have been found for this edition of Aegre).

Hoping to see you at our November meeting, and at our Christmas gathering on the 12 December.

Andrew Shephard

Leicestershire Branch Past Chairman Ian McDonald receiving the Richard Bird Medal from IWA Chairman Ivor Caplan at the AGM.

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LOUTH NAVIGATION In 1756 the Warden and his Six Assistants (the mayor and council of the town) commissioned engineer JohnGrundy to design a waterway to link Louth to the sea. It was hoped that the town’s trade would be improved by enabling goods to be transported over water instead of along the primitive highways, then little better than tracks, which often became impassable during the winter months.

The Louth Navigation was fully opened in 1770, giving the town access to the Humber Estuary at Tetney Haven at a cost £28,000. Although often locally referred to as Louth Canal, the Navigation is so called because it parallels and shares the water of the nearby River Lud.

THE NAVIGATION The opening of the Navigation was a landmark in Louth's development. The town’s population increasedfrom 4,236 in 1801 to 10,467 in 1851 making it the second largest town in the county, and only slightly smaller than the city of Lincoln.

Increased trade led to the expansion of the town eastwards into the area then known as Mallard Ings, now the Riverhead.

A thriving inland port was established, with warehousing, shipbuilding and other related trades developing around the canal basin.

A variety of craft traded on inland navigable rivers and canals and also sailed to many east coast ports including London.

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Sloopat Tetney Lock

Competition arrived with the opening of the railway in 1848 with the ‘Express’to New Holland and a ferry crossing to Hull taking only one and a half hours, a journey that would take more than a day under sail. As with most canals, trade along the Navigation gradually declined and was not helped by a history of poor maintenance.

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Imported goods included coal, iron and timber, while wool and corn were major exports. In 1768, before the canal was completed, the new organ for Louth’s St James’schurch was brought by boat from

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which sailed regularly between Louth and London

Editor’s note: In order to see all this interesting account, and a further panel, you The disastrous flood of 1920, in which 23 will need to visit the site, people at Ticklepenny, later. died and devastated much of the town centre, also causedirreparable damage